pochee linen mag

Another top was completed today, this one is from a mag - see the pic below. The top looks a little drab in the pic below but it's not really.  It's made from a very light cotton and the neck line is quite low, it's designed to wear a singlet or top underneath.  I have a black singlet already lined up for tomorrow.

As the pattern pieces have to be traced, I keep the pieces in an envelope after I've finished and write any notes on it.  I think I'll be making this one again.

Not sure about the pocket, so I didn't include it on this one - maybe next time.

Neck line :: shoulder seam :: sleeve top

fabric swap

I have been really really bad, I can't believe it's taken me this long to show the lovely fabrics I received in Leslie's fabric swap.

1. Thank you so much Susie
2. Thank you so much Rebecca
3. Thank you so much Madeleine
4. Thank you so much Cassie

All beautiful and all are neatly folded in my stash.

some greenery in the office

On the week end I saw a nice display of jars with succulents in them, I have lots of succulents in the garden and so I now have a little greenery at work.

w :: stylish dress book

Another top from one of my japanese pattern books - 2 down and quite pleased.  I used chambray for this one, it probably wouldn't have hurt to use something a little lighter but it's not too bad.  I purchased a chambray top a while ago on sale, it was priced at $90 and when I took it to the register it was only $25 -bargain.  Anyway I really like it, so that's why I thought I'd give this a go in chambray as well.

 this frill may look a little bulky in the pic below, but really it's ok, really!  this top has been through a wash and fraying up nicely.

 a little straight & zigzag stitching on the sleeve edge.

I would like to make a denim skirt (I'm thinking black denim) at some stage, I need to find the right pattern though...

beds for toys

Back in May I made these bears for the kiddies, and it was time for them to have a bed each, so here they are resting peacefully.

printing...

Well, I'm so excited to be taking part in Leslie's handprinted: a fabric swap

I've had a really great day printing.  I'll admit I was full of apprehension in the last week or so about how I was going to go about printing on fabric and questioning whether my design is too simple.  My stamp was finished last week end and mounted on a good solid block of wood.

During the week I wondered into the newly located amitie and found some plain linen to use as my basecloth.  This is the fabric paint I purchased which I've not used before, apparently you just iron it to heat set it.

I tried to dab paint on with a little fabric bundle but that wasn't working for me (and no I don't have a rubber roller).  What I found to be ok was just painting with a brush directly onto my stamp, probably not the most conventional method but it worked for me.

and here you go, my repeating pattern.

The row of printing on the right in the pic below is the reverse side, I don't mind it - a little subtle.

The fabric has been heat set and cut into fat quarters, I'll be posting them out this week.

linen bag

I flicked through this mag I bought a while ago.

saw this bag.

 made sense of the instructions (I can't read japanese).

and here it is, a little different with a leather handle, a little frayed strip near the bottom and overall it's little smaller than the pattern instructions.

linen I bought earlier in the year from clegs - it was just enough.

I dream of having a new camera, I sometimes feel like throwing the one I have at the wall - but that wouldn't be clever would it?  one day...

rainbow dolls quilt for bells

Would you like a hot air balloon or a rainbow on a dolls quilt?  That's the question I had for bells yesterday, needless to say she chose a rainbow.

I asked her if she wanted "this rainbow is for Ella" stamped across, she said "no that wouldn't be fair, put it's for our family, I want it to be for all of us".  Where does little girl sweetness come from?  It warms my heart.

This little draw string bag was purchased from a japanese shop, a short drive from where I work, everything is $2.80.  I can see this little bag in linen - it's on the to do list.

No posts in almost 2 months, then 2 in 1 day - what can I say, I found a moment...

I used my japanese pattern book

This japanese pattern book found it's way into my home quite a while ago and I finally gave something a go last weekend.  Pattern G.

 

I didn't want to spend big bucks on fancy fabric as my track record with garments it's quite poor, so I found some $5.00 a metre cotton and here is the result.  It may look a little crinkled, that's because I've actually worn it a couple of times and I prefer it this way (as opposed to ironing it).

Is it because I bought cheap fabric, I didn't hold great expectations and I approached it with a care free attitude that it all went well? If I had purchased fancy fabric would it have been a complete flop? Either way I'm very happy with the finished article.

it's been a little while...

It feels like ages since my last post - that's cause it has been.  The creative juices just haven't been flowing, I have been doing some hand quilting which is nowhere near finished so I won't share that just yet.  Last Wednesday evening I went along to a stitch 'n' knit night which is part of the Mulgrave Makers Market and I made this little zippered number with the lovely Justine.

 Just quietly, I was very happy about learning how to put in lining and I was pleased with the end result.  The little strip of denim on the bottom is there courtesy of a cutting error by me.  Oh well, I think it looks good with the boo boo.

The little project above inspired me to make this cute little Japanese lunch bag, which I found over here.  Nothing like a free download.  After a little talking on Wednesday night about fabric in stashes and how we don't cut into everything and the fact that we can't take it with us.  I cut into a much loved piece of linen, oh there are a few other pieces that I haven't cut into yet but I have made a start.  This bag was done in an evening and it's fully reversible.  If I had read the instructions properly I might have had the hand stitched part on the red on the inside - oh well, I still love it.  I can't imagine I'm going to be packing my lunch in it - I'll have to find another use.

 These flowers are on the back.

 It simply ties up at the top.

I couldn't walk past...

Monday & Tuesday I was in the city doing a training course for work, with only a 45 minute lunch break I nipped out to clegs, they were having a remnant sale, after a quick look on the tables I found a piece of linen from Ireland - and now it's mine.  I also got some nice cotton striped fabric, some alpaca/wool/silk yarn which is so lovely (not sure what I'll do yet) and some Clover bamboo round knitting needles which were on sale.  All in all a great lunchtime shop.

I've started a hat/beanie with the round needles - perfect, no seam.  The black yarn is the same as I used for flip's mitts.

Right now I've been stung by the yarn bug, back to quilting one day...

more crochet & some cute buttons

I've been to two evenings at Stitch N Knit, which is part of Mulgrave Makers Market, last time we were taught by the lovely and patient Mary how to crochet finger-less mitts.  Mine are below, quick little project and fun to make.  A couple of new techniques were learned (foundation single crochet for starting work off instead of a chain + how to finish off nicely + how to decrease without any GAPS!), I wonder how long I'll retain those for...

and then of course I am asked, can I have some too mumma x 2.  The ones below are for bells, who also wanted a few flowers on hers, I did not choose the location of the flowers, I was under instruction.  For both mine & bells' mitts I used Cleckheaton Perfect Day 8ply Alpaca Wool.

Yesterday I went to Wondoflex to get some wool for flip's mitts and I couldn't go past these cute little wooden buttons, they are 1.5cm in diameter.  Of course I have no idea what to use them on, but they are now in my possession.

This is the wool I chose for flip, it was half price - nice.

I love the hint of grey, lovely wool to crochet with.

So now I'm done, I can move onto something else.  There were some lovely yarns I saw yesterday, some nice japanese sock yarn, but do I really want to knit socks - not sure.  Or should I get back to some quilting - probably.

rainbow granny square + pom pom

I'll admit straight up that the colours aren't me, they are miss bells (at the moment, she is 5).  Rainbow colours - she loves to draw rainbows, paint them, make necklaces with the repeating colours etc. etc. etc.  So I thought I'd attempt my very first granny square in her favourite colours.  I can see how people get a little addicted to making granny squares, I think I'd have to do it in natural colours though, I can't do bright BRIGHT!  I do have some linen yarn, it is quite thin though - it's the yarn I used to make my crochet shopping bag - they'd be quite small granny squares.

 we could just call it a mat for her rainbow pom pom...

bear x 2 :: crochet

My sister found this pattern for 'Bruno Bear' over here at Baghi , so cute I had to give it a go.  After a little crochet tuition from her - 2 bears have been completed.  Would you believe that I followed the same pattern and got two different sized heads.  Same ply wool, same size crochet hook.  Clearly I'm not much of a crocheter, but as it turns out anyone who knows my flip & bells knows there is significant head size difference :) so I'll just take it as - it was meant to be.

There is talk of both these bears going to school for show & tell this week.